Job Seekers Archives

Expand Your Network Through LinkedIn

Are you looking to increase your professional network? Maximize your online professional digital presence through standing out on your LinkedIn profile. Having a LinkedIn account is essential, especially as networking has transitioned to a digital platform. Having an “All-Star” profile can really set you apart from the competition and help the right recruiters find you.

Guide to Creating & Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile

Create a LinkedIn Account or Log In to your Existing Account.

If you are creating an account, choose an email you frequently use to keep up with notifications or messages from your profile.
You can also download LinkedIn as an application on your phone. It can be a great way to get instant notifications and keep track of your professional network.

Once you log on, click on the “Me” icon at the top right-hand corner. Select “View Profile”, and you will see your profile separated into the following sections. This is where you can optimize your profile through inputting all the information that you would put onto a resume.

Header Area – Includes your profile picture, background photo, full name, tag line, location and how many connections you have. It is the first thing anyone will see when they view your profile. Make sure you have a professional profile picture and background. For your tag line, keep it simple, you can put your job title or what roles you are looking for. For example, “Aircraft Mechanic at HSGI, Inc.” or “Seeking Aircraft Mechanic roles in [state].”
Your Dashboard – Only you can see the data presented in this box, as it is hidden to anyone else viewing your profile. It presents “Who Viewed your Profile”, “Post Views”, and how many times you’ve appeared in a search through “search appearances”. It can also give you more information on the average salary your role makes in the industry. This is a great way to track who is viewing your profile. If recruiters in your industry are looking at your profile and messaging you about jobs you are interested in, then that is a sign you have you fully optimized your profile with the right keywords.
Activity – The Activity tracks your interactions (comments, likes, and shares on posts) on the platform and even lets you know how many connections you have.
Summary – A great place to insert your elevator pitch. Think of your job experience, total years and any strengths you may have when putting your summary together.
Experience – Break down all of your experience here. You need the job title, company, month year the position started and ended/present if you are still in the role. List out your duties and include keywords. For example, if you are an A&P Mechanic, list out certain aircraft you have worked with. If you are in Information Technology, as a software developer, list out the languages you have worked with and any technical verbiage. It is important to proofread and make sure your roles are easily readable and treat it as a resume.

Education – List your GED, high school and any college/university accomplishments here. If you are still working on your education, you have the option to put the estimated date of completion. Make sure to list out what you specialized in and any further information if it applies to your education. For example, “Virginia Tech – Major Business and Minor Economics”. If you never completed your education, but want to acknowledge it, you can comment “unfinished” or “plan to restart to complete in [date].”
Licenses & Certifications – A great place to highlight any certifications or licenses that you have. All you need is the name of the certification, the company or organization/school you received it from, Date Issued, Date Expires (optional since not all licenses and certification expire), and a Credential ID and/or URL if you are issued one.
Volunteer Experiences – This is a space where you can highlight any volunteer or Pro Bono work you have participated in. It is a great way to showcase how you give back to your community, and companies pay attention to this when they search for a candidate. It can definitely set you apart!
Skills & Endorsements – Add your skills, keywords, and your colleagues/connections can endorse you on them, increasing their relevance on your profile. For some ideas on skills, check out this article.
Recommendations – On LinkedIn, you can request your connections to give you a recommendation. This is a commendation that can be given by a colleague, manager, client or any connection that has had a professional experience with you. You can request them or even write one for another connection on your platform. This is a great way to showcase your skills and performance for future employers.
Accomplishments – This can include honors or awards you have received, languages you speak and any organizations you have started.
Interests – When you follow a company/person or join a group on LinkedIn, the groups, organizations and individuals will pop up under your interests.

Basic Upkeep with Your Live Profile

Some basic tips to upkeep your profile, is to treat your LinkedIn profile like an “office space”. On this platform you are able to post, comment and interact with other profiles. It is important to keep in mind the conversations you are interacting with on the platform. Think about it like this, this is a professional platform where you are advocating for a new role. Even if you are currently employed, your current and future employers will be able to see your interactions and track your activity. To avoid any bias against your profile in the future, the best advice is if you wouldn’t speak to a colleague or boss about it at work, you probably shouldn’t post it on a professional platform. This includes topics like – Religion, Politics, Personal Love Life, Personal Problems with Spouse or Family, and Financial Problems.

Engage & Apply for Jobs

It can definitely pay off to interact and engage with the companies/organizations, when searching for a role. You can also apply directly to roles and message recruiters. It is a great asset to have in your job search and if you are active on the account, it will definitely pay off in the future.

If you would like a free LinkedIn profile consultation, reach out to HSGI, Inc. to help you stand out in the job field through our expert advice.

by HSGI Staff

Job Seekers

Resume Tips – Set Yourself Up for Success

You may be asking yourself – where do I start when it comes to writing a resume? Take a look at the next ten steps for resume tips and how to use a template to input your information.

10 Tips on How to Create a Resume and Market Yourself

1. Create a Resume Rough Draft and write out the information you want your resume to display. Decide on what contact information you want to share with recruiters. Use an email for your resume that you often check or create an email address just for job applications. This will help you keep organized with applications and recruiter correspondence.

2. Write a Professional Summary or create an objective section to highlight your skills and what you are looking for in your next role. Keep it short and to the point, so recruiters/employers can read through it and quickly understand who you are.

3. Highlight your Resume Keywords to make sure you are including key information from your roles and skill set. Include technologies, equipment and any other keywords to highlight your skills throughout your resume.

4. Find a Resume Template. There are many templates online, search and find the best one for you. Some great websites to find a template are: Canva, Indeed, Microsoft Office, and many more. HSGI also provides templates to help construct and streamline your information to make it easy to read. Make sure not use any crazy font or any bold colors. Recommended Font and Color are Arial Black. Also, use a template that is 1-2 pages long to keep it brief. This will make your resume more attractive to recruiters and hiring managers, when you keep it short and to the point. You can find our resume template here.

5. Input the Information onto the Resume Template. Transfer your notes from your rough draft and place it onto your template. Customize the template to make it yours. Make sure to input the correct contact information, job titles, dates, locations, education, certifications, additional skills, etc.

6. Review your Resume Bulleted Role Descriptions. If you need help coming up with bullet points, pull up your offer letter from your previous roles. It should list job duties that give you written descriptions to input onto your resume template. Think through your day-to-day duties and what technologies/equipment you used to include in the bullet points. Keep the bullet points short and to the point. Aim to have 3-6 bullet points per role.

7. Add Any Further Information. References, contributions, projects, further skills are optional to add to your resume. If you have the information, keep it short and add it on there to highlight further skills. For references, make sure to include the full name, their job title, if they were a colleague/manager, and their contact information (phone number and email).

8. Proofread the Final Product. Make sure to read through your resume and double check that grammar/spelling is all correct. Also, make sure all the font type, size and color are the same. At the end of your bullet points decide whether to use a period (end of sentence) or not. Make sure it is consistent and easy to read.

9. Send your Resume to your Recruiter and/or Post it online. Connect with HSGI, Inc. and give us a call at 678 377 1132 to let us know what role you are looking for and how we can help. Have it ready to help us expedite the process to get you set up with an interview as soon as the role you are looking for is available. Post it online on various job boards to put your name and skill set out there. Some great online career sites are JSfirm, Indeed, Career Builder, Monster and LinkedIn.

10. Good Luck on Your Job Search! Keep your resume updated and reach out to HSGI for any job search and career assistance you may need.

HSGI, Inc. Basic Resume Template

by HSGI Staff

IT & Engineering, Job Seekers

The Top 5 Tech Skills for IT Positions

Searching for a new career? You can’t go wrong with jobs in information technology, a field that’s set to grow over 20% in the near future.

Information technology, also known as IT, is a field that’s expanding faster than many other industries. It pays well, too; many in-demand positions have an annual average wage at around $86,000.

To break into IT, you’re going to need certain tech skills. Here are the top five most in-demand skills you need to impress potential bosses, stand out from the crowd, and land your dream job!

1. Coding

It almost goes without saying that the foundation of any tech job is coding knowledge. Understanding basic HTML and/or C++ is crucial for many in the IT industry.

There are many code languages out there. If you’re applying for a specific position, try to see if they value one over another and focus on developing your knowledge in that language.

Don’t be intimidated if you don’t have a university degree in JavaScript, HTML, or Python. Certifications and degrees help, but sometimes you can find free, self-guided learning resources online.

2. Cloud Computing

The cloud, an online storage database, has become an increasingly attractive option for many companies. Information can be instantly shared no matter where your workforce is.

Along with this new digital communications service comes unique challenges. Understanding cloud architecture and security are the kind of niche skills you’ll need to land your dream job.

3. Networking

Traditional networking involves growing your circle of associates so that you always have relevant information at your fingertips. Networking for IT is kind of like that, but with computing architecture.

As an IT professional, you’ll need to master both forms of networking. You need to learn how to work with computer networks and the networks of people who use them.

4. Communication

Much like networking, clear and prompt communication is one of the most in-demand skills for future IT pros. It’s a so-called “soft skill” that comes in to play more often than you would expect.

It’s a misconception that the IT field is perfect for introverts. You’ll need to interact with many different people, and may even be asked to give presentations.

Your success depends on being able to clearly explain your work to various teams, coworkers, and leaders. Brush up on your people skills and you’ll go far.

5. Management

Management is another “soft skill” you’ll need to succeed. There are many things you’ll have to manage as an IT professional.

Time management is important to deliver a product on time. Impress potential employers with your project management skills by detailing a job you oversaw from beginning to end.

Including any examples of your management skills in your resume will set you apart from other job seekers. Don’t leave it out!

Top Tech Skills You Need Now

These five tech skills will help you find a job in the growing IT sector. If you’re ready for a change, start checking items off this list. Want to reach out to someone who can help you plan your next career move? Reach out to us today and make your dream job a reality!

by HSGI Staff